Widening mechanism for straight knitting machines



WIDENING MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 21, 1951 May 8, 1956 L. FRANCESCHINI 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR: [Mm Z0 fm/vizsc/mv/ BY wad/M") 0W M ATTORNEY$ May 8, 1956 L. FRANCESCHINI WIDENING MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 2" 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR [WM/Z0 [kw/mas ow/v/ BY O M MW ATTORN EYS WIDENING MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTHJG MACHINES Lorenzo Franceschini, Florence, Italy, assignor to Officine Galileo Societa per Azioni, Florence, Italy, an Italian corporation Application August 21, 1951, Serial No. 242,908 Claims priority, application Italy August 2s, 1950 14 Claims. c1. 66-.70)

It is known how, from the viewpoint of the saving of labour, the motorization of rectilinear hosiery machines may only be advantageously considered under determined conditions of use.

In fact if the motorization adequately resolves the problem in the case in which the transversal number of the loops is uniform or constant (parallel edged fabric), this does not take place when the number of thesame loops varies during the working of the machine.

If one onlyconsiders the problem of the extra loops, which is the one solved in most of the presently used machines, during the operation the workman must exert a continuous and steady watch onthe machines (which perhaps is greater in the case of motorization), and this with the aim of promptly eflecting the insertion of the needles, bearing in mind the cycles of the machine, which is generally made easier by the presence of a special meter.

Since a large part of the work done by mass production rectilinear machines (estimated about 80%) may be considered made up of fabric with extra loops, it will be evident that a real advantage can only arise from an association of a motorized plant with a device for automatization in the insertion of the needles in the operating machine, effecting said insertion in accordance with a pre-established schedule.

The statement of the problem relative to said automatization which, always in the case of extra loops working, would lead the machine to have an efiective independence by the control of the operator, demands the existence of three elements, operating in coordination, one with another, in a suitable device and that is:

1. An element which controls the insertion of the needles according to are-established schedule, in synchronism with the cycles of the machine.

2. An element whichactuates the bilateral insertion of the needles (front or rear series), with the direct or cross pairs arrangement.

3. An element, finally, arranged to adjust sequentially the displacements of the carriage or mule of the machine, varying the position of the stops at the end of the stroke, which determine the reversal of running of the carriage.

The object of the present invention is a device constructed in agreement with the above mentioned concepts for motorized or hand driven machines; in accordance with the invention the schedule, which controls the insertion ofthe needles of the front or rear series of the nited States PatentO 2,744,397 Patented May 8;, i956 machine, provided with the devices, shall have to proceedwithout stopping, while the extra loops of the knitted work are effected, in accordance with the schedule;-a

normal case, whereupon the machine may stop under control of the schedule which may be, for instance, constituted by an excess of the fabrics length.

' It is obvious that the position of the motion reversal stops shall have to be determined and adjusted in relation to the pitch existing between two needles, a feature which may be different in the various machines; ac-

cording to the invention there is a provision that this agreement and adjustment may be made by varying the ratios in the kinematic unit, determining the gradual advance of the same stops. Since one of the purposes of the invention is that the whole device'for the desired automatism must be such as to be in condition to be applied, without any other important structural alterations, to the different hosiery machines now existing, it is provided that this arrangement has to take place in the most practical form, by means of the exchange'of some elements of the desired chain.

For the better clarification of the above mentioned objects, reference is made 'to the embodiment'hereafter specified and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l diagrammatically shows a perspective view of a device .for the needle insertion in the machine;

Fig. 2 diagrammatically shows a general arrangement of the needle insertion;

Fig. 3 diagrammatically shows a variation in the kinematic system of reversal;

Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the detail of a leve for the needle insertion; V

Fig. '5 shows a perspective View, and also diagrammatically, of the arrangement for the schedule of control of the automatism;

Fig. 6 finally shows diagrammatically the kinematic set or unit for the displacement of the stops for the motion reversal of the machine.

' In accordance with the invention, the automatism device for the making of extra loops in the rectilinear hosiery machines, essentially includes a drum 1 (see Fig. 5) on which a band 2, arranged helically, is located or derived in the most suitable way; bores or holes 3, preferably parallel to the axis of rotation of the same drum, are made in the band, distributed according toequidistant line-ups (in the case of the embodiment shown each line-up includes three holes); it is possible to introduce a pin or more pins 4, in the respective holes,

- each pin being provided with a suitable head, the latter machine, is actuated by a series of reliefs (or recesses) arranged on a band which can also'be flexible (a strip or the like), but which is preferably rigid and helically disposed on a cylindrical drum.

In this zone, besides the needles controls, the countersigns, relative to the stopping control of the machine,

, will be added; the schedule drum gradually advances in coordination with the cycles of the same machine. The displacement of the stops at the end of the stroke of the needles control carriage or mule, which determine the re- 'versal of the motion of the carriage, is synchronized with designed to make, by means of its thickness, at. relief'or abutment on the surface of the band. The drum 1 is guide or way 8; the latter arranged parallelly to. the axis I of rotation of the same drum. 1

An appendix 9,'integral with said carriage 7, bears a pin 10, which is engaged in an helical channel or duct 11 providedin the winding of the zone 2 on said drum 1. Therefore, by the rotation of the drum 1, the carriage 7 is displaced along its way 8, while the end 12 of the arms of an assembly of three levers 13, 14, 15, rotating around a shaft or spindle 16, graze the surface of the band 2 over its entire surface.

The other end of each lever 13, 14, 15 is shaped in such a way that when one of the ends 12 over-rides one of the small heads 4 of the pins, which are plugged into the corresponding holes, distributed in the three vertical line-ups along the zone 2, this end touches one of the small blocks 18, closing, in this way, an electric circuit, suitable to determine the insertion, in the machine, of a pair of needles, or the stopping of said machine; it is provided that for each horizontal line-up, which is capable of the three possibilities of control, above stated, there can exist only a single relief countermark, which admits the effecting of a single control of the schedule for each time.

The distribution of the controls, according to the order of a horizontal line-up of three, may, for instance be the following: a relief at the first place (from left to right) means the insertion of a pair of needles of the front series of the machine; a relief or abutment at the second place means the stopping of the machine; a relief arranged in the third place means the insertion of a pair of needles of the rear series.

The closure of an electric circuit (see Fig. 1) determines the rotation, restricted to a certain angle of the shaft 19, integral with the rotor of a special electric motor the shaft 19 determines the rotation of a lever 21, an end of which can act on the arms 22 and 23, respectively integral with the shafts or spindles 24 or 25, parallelly arranged on the front and rear side of the same machine.

On each of these shafts 24 and 25 two sleeves are arranged (in Fig. 1 only those numbered 26 and 27 existing are visible on the front side of the machine; the location is the same and symmetrical on the rear side, though not visible), in such a way that these sleeves may slide axially on the same shaft without, however, relative rotation, and for this effect a prismatic groove 28 and 29 is made on each of the two shafts 24 and 25; in said groove a pin integral with the sleeve is engaged with an arm (for example the arms 30 and 31), called a flag, is integral with each of the sleeves; the end of each flag is made up of an appendix 32 (see detail in Fig. 4), the position of which is adjustable in height by means of the groove 33 and of the locking screw 34. The appendix 32 carries a step 35 at its end (L square), the whole being located and oriented in such a way that said step, under the usual dwelling or waiting conditions, lies with its head and side against the foot 36 of a needle projecting from the combs of the machine. Each flag is compelled to take this side rest, because of a spring, which suitably wound in the inside of the drums 37 and 38 (in correspondence with the respective visible flags 26 and 27) exerts its action, by means of the flexible strips 39 and 40 ina direction normal to the plane, in which this flag rotates.

Without departing from the ambit of the invention, the lateral stress of the flags end on the foot of the needle can also be exerted by means of a frictional device, derived from a continuously rotating shaft; in this case, the stress has a constant value, independently of the position of the flag with respect to the centre of the machine.

As accomplished by the embodiment of Fig. 1 and still better by the embodiment of Fig. 2,wherein corresponding elements bear the same reference numerals with primes, the lateral stress of the needles by the flags is ing the lever 21 back to its starting position, by means of the spring 43. Also the arm 22 will return to its original starting position, determined by the stop 44, by means of the spring 44', bringing the flags 26 and 27 back. Each flag, rotating, leaves the already inserted needle on its head section, remaining however resting on its side against the latter because of the presence of the lateral surface of the step; when the end edge of the latter over comes the foot of said needle in rotation, depriving the flags fo their lateral rest, the latter under the action of the springs of the drums, respectively 37 and 38 and 37', 38' will immediately pass (springing up) to the resting of the two successive needles of the series, not inserted yet, ready to effectuate a new insertion.

Simultaneously with the insertion of the needles in the machine, the position of the end-stroke stops 45 and 46 will necessarily have to be varied, thus varying the total travel or run of the carriage on the comb which is designed to drive the needles. According to Fig. 6, the stops 45 and 46 (the arrangement on the other side of the machine, not visible, is also the same and symmetrical with that described) are displaceable along the prismatic slide 47; the small blocks, integral with said stops, are each provided with an appendix or abutment 48 and 49 which is respectively anchored to one of the branches of a continuous strip 50 wound on two pulleys, of which only one 51 is visible in Fig. 6. The pulley 51 is integral with a jack rotating system 52, known per se; said system being connected by means of the member 53 to the mechanism, which drives the schedule drum. The arrangement of the anchorage of the small blocks, which support the stops, to the two branches or sections of the continuous strip is such that for a rotation in a direction of the motor or driving pulley 51, the two stops are displaced in opposite directions. In order to adapt the pitches of the displacements of the two stops to the peculiarities of the machine, as far as the number of the needles for unit of length is concerned, it is provided according to the invention, that the pulley 51 be interchangeable with other, having ditferent diameters and apt for the purpose; the change may take place, fastening the suitable pulley to the motor or driving axle 54 and locking it respect the latter by means of the screw sleeve 55.

The stopping of the machine takes place by the closure of an electrical circuit, dependent on the contact which may be closed by a pin, inserted in a hole in the second row of holes in the strip 2. This circuit controls the opening of a central switch, feeding the machine, and thus determines the stopping. The electromagnetic device (contactor) which controls the opening of the central switch and thus interrupts the feed of the machine, is not shown in the drawings, because any such wellknown device usually used in the conventional electrical plants may be used.

At the end of the weaving cycle, that is, when the levers 30 and 31 are at their extreme outer positions along the shafts 24 and 25, in order to repeat the cycle, the unit including sleeve 26 and lever 30, and the unit including sleeve 27 and lever 31, are manually slid back to the center position of the comb against the action of the springs 37 and 38. These units are held in this central position by the engagement of the steps 35 of the extensions 32 of the levers against the looped ends 36 of the needles, which latter are manually retracted to inoperative position. The carriage 7 may be returned to a central starting position by rotating the drum 1 in a direction opposite to the direction of operative rotation thereof or by releasing the pin 10from the helical groove of the drum and by manually sliding it to its central starting point, the machine having first been disconnected, from its power source.

The apparatus illustrated in Fig. 6 is conventional and of well-known type. It is shown as connected to the needle control carriage in the usual manner, but other suitable couplings may be usedyaswill be apparent to one skilled in the art. This apparatus may be manually driven or better automatically driven without stopping the operation of the machine, so that the carriage controlling the needles does not effect any strokes which are longer than necessary, along the plates which house the needle bed; that is, the stops 45 and 46 permit the carriage toelfect some strokes which only serve to control the needles which have been located in the working position by the levers 30 and 31, but prevent the stroke of the usual carriage from passing over the zone of the needles in the working position too far. The working time of the machine is decreased in this way.

The order in the insertion of the needles in the machine may also be different than the one described, and this without departing from the ambit of the invention. In fact, with .reference to Fig. 2 the insertion may also take place, always by pairs, with the order 30'31, 31'30" or 30"30", 31'-31; of course in this case, the zone 2 will be able to carry, for each line-up, a number of holes, higher than the mentionedone, in the schedule device.

As a variant construction to that above described, each of the sleeves, carrying the flags (see Fig.2) can be arranged loose on its own shaft, a single clutching device for each sleeve being provided, so that the latter be able to get engaged, according to the arrangements of the schedule or programme, to the same shaft; in this case, the two shafts will constantly be connected to the motor or driving device, from which they will receive a partial rotation at every half turn of the machines carriage.

In Fig. 3 there is a modification of the mechanism including parts 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 of Fig. 1. According to this embodiment, the motor 120, similar to the one indicated at 20 carries a rocking lever 121 in replacement of the one indicated by 21. The ends of said rocking lever 121 are connected to two levers 122, 123 in their turn hinged to pivoted arms 124, 125 splined onto the shafts 24, 25. In this way, the excitation of the motor 120 determines the oscillation of the lever 121 in the direction of the arrow and thus determines the simultaneous angular displacement of the two shafts 24, 25 in the direction which determines the insertion of a needle. Any appropriate resilient means, which is not visible in Fig. 3 but for instance, is similar to that shown as in Fig. 1, brings the lever 121 back into the vertical position when the excitation of the motor 120 is removed.

Finally, without departing from the spirit of the invention, it may be provided that the actuation of the controls of the schedule (kinematic for the motion of the flags, stopping of the machine, and other) may also occur by mechanical means, of the known type (meshing determined by the displacement of pawls or the like), said means being in dependence of an only motor or driving device, which, besides the driving of the automatism, also provides for the motorization of the machine.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. In a knitting machine, a needle bed, a plurality of spaced needles supported in said bed, an electrical motor, a rockable shaft operatively connected to said motor, at least one needle pusher member carried by said shaft for moving said needles to knitting position, and mechanical means for automatically adjusting the position of said pusher member with respect to said needles.

2. In a knitting machine, a needle bed, a plurality of spaced needles supported in said bed, an electrical motor, a rockable shaft operatively connected to said motor, at least one needle pusher member slidably carried by said shaft for moving said needles to knitting position, and a coiled spring connected to said needle pusher member for successively sliding the same along the shaft into position opposite one of said needles.

- 3. In a knitting machine, a needle bed, a plurality of spaced needles supported in said bed, an electrical motor, a rockable shaft operatively connected to said motor, at least one needle pusher member slidably carried by said shaft for moving said needles to knitting position, a coiled spring connected to said needle pusher member for successively sliding the same along the shaft into position opposite one of said needles, and spring means associated with said shaft for retracting the same to inoperative position.

4. In a knitting machine, a needle bed, spaced needles supported in said bed, an electrical motor, a rockable shaft operatively connected to said motor, a plurality of needle pusher members slidably carried by said shaft for moving said needles to knitting position, and a coiled spring associated with each pusher member for successively sliding the same along the shaft into position opposite a predetermined one of said needles.

5. In a knitting machine, a plurality of opposed needle beds, a series of spaced needles supported in each bed, an electrical motor, a rockable shaft positioned along each bed, a member operatively connected to said motor for rocking said shafts, a plurality of needle pusher members carried by each shaft for individually moving said needles to knitting position, and a rotatable drum for controlling the operation of said motor.

6. In a knitting machine, a plurality of opposed needle beds, a series of spaced needles supported in each bed, an electrical motor, a rockable shaft positioned along each bed, a member operatively connected to said motor for alternately rocking said shafts, a plurality of needle pusher members slidably carried by each shaft for individually moving said needles to knitting position, a rotatable drum for controlling the operation of said motor, and means for adjustably sliding said pusher members along the shafts.

7. In a knitting machine, a plurality of opposed needle beds, a series of spaced needles supported in each bed,

an electrical motor, a rockable shaft positioned along each bed, a member operatively connected to said motor for rocking said shafts, needle pusher members slidably carried by each shaft for individually moving said needles to knittting position, a rotatable drum for controlling the operation of said motor, and a coiled spring associated with each pusher member for adjustably sliding said pusher member along the respective shaft thereof.

8. In a knitting machine, a plurality of opposed needle beds, a series of spaced needles supported in each bed, an electrical motor, a rockable shaft positioned along each bed, a member operatively connected to said motor for rocking said shafts, a plurality of needle pusher members slidably carried by each shaft for individually moving said needles to knitting position, and mechanism for selectively operating either of said shafts, including a rotatable drum, pawl and ratchet mechanism for rotating said drum and electrical switching mechanism in the motor circuit including movable switch contacts selectively actuated by said drum.

9. In a knitting machine, a plurality of opposed needle beds, a series of spaced needles supported in each bed, an electrical motor, a rockable shaft positioned along each bed, a member operatively connected to said motor for mechanism in the motor circuit including movable switch 7 contacts in the path of movement of said pins for actuation thereby.

10. In a knitting machine, a plurality of opposed needle beds, a series of spaced needles supported in each bed,

an electrical motor, a rockable shaft positioned along each bed, a member operativelyconnected to said motor for rocking said shafts, angled brackets slidably supported on each shaft, a needle pusher member adjustably supported on one end of each bracket for individually and adjustably moving said needles to knitting position, a rotatable drum for controlling the operation of the motor, and a coiled spring connected to the other end of each bracket for sliding said bracket along said shaft.

11. In a knitting machine, a plurality of opposed needle beds, a series of spaced needles supported in each bed,

an electrical motor, a rockable shaft positioned along each bed, a member operatively connected to said motor for selectively rocking said shafts, a plurality of angled brackets slidably supported on each shaft, an L-shaped needle pusher member adjustably supported on one end of each bracket for individually moving said needles to knitting position, a rotatable drum for controlling the operation of the motor, a coiled spring connected to the other end of each bracket for sliding said bracket along its respective shaft, and spring means associated with each shaft for retracting said shaft to inoperative position.

12. In a straight knitting machine, a plurality of 0pposed needle beds, a plurality of spaced needles supported on each bed, an electrical motor, arockable shaft along each bed, a member operatively connected to said motor for rocking said shafts, angled brackets slidably supported on each shaft and movable in opposed directions from the center of the shaft, a needle pusher member adjustably supported on one end of each bracket for individually moving said needles to knitting position, a rotatable drum for controlling the operation of the motor, a coiled spring connected to the other end of each bracket for sliding said bracket along its respective shaft, and spring means associated with each shaft for retracting said shaft to inoperative position.

13. In a knitting machine, a plurality of opposed needle beds, a series of spaced needles supported in each bed, an electrical motor, a rockable shaft positioned along each bed, each shaft having an elongated slot in each shaft, a member operatively connected to said motor for selectively rocking said shafts, a plurality of sleeves slidably mounted on each shaft, a slot and stud connection between each sleeve and its respective shaft, an angled bracket carried by'each sleeve, an L-shaped'needle pusher on one end of eachbracket for moving said needles to knitting position, said sleeves being movable from the center of the shaft outwardly to the ends of the shafts and a coiled spring connected to each bracket for sliding said bracket along the respective shaft thereof.

14. In a knitting machine provided with a main driving motor, a plurality of opposed needle beds, a series of spaced needles supported in each bed, a second electrical motor, a rockable shaft positioned along each bed, a member operatively connected to said second motor for rocking said shafts, a plurality of L-shaped needle pusher members slidably carried by each shaft for individually moving said needles to knitting position, and mechanism for selectively operating either of said shafts and for stopping said main driving motor, including a rotatable drum, a helical strip on the surface of said drum, a plurality of spaced pins projecting from said strip in a prearranged formation, pawl and ratchet mechanism for rotating said drum, and electrical switching mechanism in the motor circuit, including three movable switch contacts in the path of movement of said pins for actuation thereby, one of said contacts controlling the movement of the needles in one bed, the second of said contacts controlling the movement of the needles in the other bed, and the third contact controlling the stopping of said main driving motor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,902,151 Welch Mar. 21, 1933 2,095,606 Lebocey Oct. 12, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 14,369 Great Britain of 1886 16,488 Great Britain of 1894 270,277 Italy Dec. 30, 1929 

